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Monday, September 17, 2012

Sixty Ways to Use Your Library Card

I saw this post recently on Stephen's Lighthouse and liked it so much I'm including it here in its entirety. It's actually a repost from the link shown below. September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and there are a few days left in which you can visit your local library and see what they have to offer. School has started, projects are underway, and the card and library resources are free. Why not take advantage?

Visit your local library with your children and teens today and sign up for a library card!

A library card is a key resource in achieving academic success, and
the library is the perfect place to spend quality family time together.

Check out these great ways to use your library card and library.
1. Download an e-book.
(Over three-quarters of libraries offer access to e-books. E-book
readers are available for check-out at nearly 40 percent of libraries.)
2. Not sure how to download an e-book on your new device? A librarian can show you how. Take a workshop on how to use your e-reader or other gadgets.
3. Use a computer
to finish a school project. (Over 62 percent of library outlets report
they are the only provider of free public computer and Internet access
in their communities.)
4. Use free Wi-Fi. (Almost 91 percent of public library outlets offer wireless Internet access.)
5. Learn the secrets of editing digital photos in a Photoshop class.
(More than 90 percent of public libraries now offer formal or informal technology training.)
6. Learn how to edit your family vacation video.
7. Find love at the library: meet like-minded mates at a library speed dating event (or check out a romance novel).
8. Learn check mate: attend a library game night.
9. Take the kids to a free movie during spring break, or pick up a DVD to watch together at home… or get a movie for free from your library’s website.
10. Attend a family crafts workshop.
11. Attend preschool story hour with your child.
12. Start a parents & teens book club.
13. Ask for a recommended reading list for your kids.
14. Enroll your child in a summer reading program.
15. Save money while spending quality time: plan a family afternoon at place that’s free – the library!
16. Build your young reader’s self esteem by letting her read to a dog at the library.
17. Check out a pass to a city museum.
18. Launch your future: Get free assistance with job searches, resume writing and interviewing tips.
19. Use a library computer to apply for a job online or check out
materials to help study for a certification exam. (92.2 percent of
libraries offer access to job databases and other online job resources.)
20. Research your term paper.
21. Get help with homework.
22. Get ready for the SAT with online test-prep services.
23. Explore new opportunities and research technical schools, community colleges and universities.
24. Figure out how to pay for college at a free library seminar.
25. Learn about local candidates for office and pick up information on voter registration.
26. Book a meeting room for your club or community organization.
27. Learn about the history of your city or town.
28. Spend an hour with a “living book”;
see if your library has a list of local experts who can share
their knowledge on different subjects – like knitting, taxes, or
training for a triathalon – or simply share a bit about themselves.
29. Get involved – join your library’s Friends group or teen advisory board.
30. Check out your favorite graphic novel.
31.Trek to another planet in a Sci-Fi novel.
32. Research before you buy. Access an online consumer guide on the library’s website.
33. Learn how to manage your money at a free financial planning seminar.
34. Search out tips for building your retirement nest egg.
35. Learn how to write a business plan.
36. Get new ideas for redecorating your house.
37. Hear a local author reading his/her latest novel.
38. …then research WWII espionage…
39. …then find a quiet spot to plug in your laptop and begin your own novel.
40. Use style guides to write a bibliography for your new book.
41. Learn how to self-publish – and market – your new book.
42. Take a cooking class.
43. Learn a new language with books or online language-learning software.
44. Broaden your world by checking out cookbooks of foods from other cultures.
45. Borrow or download an audio book for your next road trip or commute.
46. See a new art exhibit.
47. Volunteer as a literacy tutor.
48. Find a new hobby.
49. Enjoy a concert.
50. …then borrow some sheet music.
51. Use free online tools to research your family tree.
52. Empower yourself through home improvement: check out a book on learning how to fix that leaky faucet.
53. Find a quiet spot, curl up with a good book and enjoy.
54. Take a fitness class.
55. Talk mysteries with people who like mysteries, too, at a library book club.
56. Find the best resources on how to preserve that photo of your great grandmother.
57. Get growing! Check out seeds to plant in your backyard or community garden.
58. Go back in time: use databases or microfiche to access early
newspapers or rent a “classic” movie, like “Back to the Future.”
59. Check out books in the bookmobile.
60. Learn new knitting techniques and get new patterns.

theonlinelibrarian@gmail.com

I worked in public libraries for nearly fifteen years. Please email me or leave a comment and let me know what online searching needs I can help you with. A chance to help you is a chance for me to learn something as well.